Lighted translucent hat

ABSTRACT

A hat is provided, comprising a brim, a crown, electroluminescent (EL) wire forming an outline at least around the brim and the crown, a battery pack secured to the underside of the crown, and a controller, secured to the underside of the crown and electrically coupled to the battery pack and the EL wire, configured to control the current applied to the EL wire. The brim and crown are formed from a translucent material. A method of manufacturing a hat is also provided, comprising: providing a translucent material, forming a brim and crown of the translucent material, securing an electroluminescent (EL) wire around at least the brim and crown, providing a battery pack, providing a controller, electrically coupling the EL wire to the battery pack and controller, and securing the battery pack and controller to the underside of the crown.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 14/690,532, filed Apr. 20, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to headwear and, in particular, to a lighted, translucent hat.

BACKGROUND ART

Although the basic cowboy hat has traditionally been a work hat, more recently they have also become fashion wear and are being worn at entertainment venues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a hat, comprising a brim, a crown, electroluminescent (EL) wire forming an outline at least around the brim and the crown, a battery pack secured to the underside of the crown, and a controller, secured to the underside of the crown and electrically coupled to the battery pack and the EL wire, configured to control the current applied to the EL wire. The brim and crown are formed from a translucent material.

The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing a hat, comprising: providing a translucent material, forming a brim and crown of the translucent material, securing an electroluminescent (EL) wire around at least the brim and crown, providing a battery pack, providing a controller, electrically coupling the EL wire to the battery pack and controller, and securing the battery pack and controller to the underside of the crown. The controller is configured to control the current applied to the EL wire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective outline view of an embodiment of a lighted, translucent hat of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom outline view of the hat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the hat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the hat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an embodiment of an electrical block diagram of the hat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a is a perspective view of the hat of FIG. 1 in the lighted state; and

FIG. 7 is a is a top view of the hat of FIG. 1 in the lighted state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective outline view of an embodiment of a lighted, translucent hat 100 of the present invention. The hat 100 illustrated in the FIGs. is a cowboy hat but the present invention is not limited to any one particular style of hat. The hat 100 includes a brim 102, a crown 104, and several creases 106 providing the overall shape of the hat 100. The hat 100 may be formed from a molded or plastic injected translucent material. As used herein, the term “translucent” refers to material through which at least some light may be transmitted and includes “transparent” material. If desired, ventilation holes may be formed in the crown 104 of the hat 100.

The hat 100 further includes flexible electroluminescent (EL) wire 110 secured to the material or molded or embedded into the hat 100, such as around perimeter of the brim 102 and crown 104, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. A battery pack 112 and controller 114, are electrically coupled to the EL wire 110, as illustrated in the block diagram of FIG. 5. The battery pack 112 and controller 114, which may be contained in a single housing or may be separate units, may be secured in the underside of the crown (FIGS. 2 and 4). As is known, when a current from the battery pack 112 through the controller 114 is applied to the EL wire 110, the wire 110 emits light.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the hat 100 with the EL wire 110 in the lighted state.

The translucent material of the hat 100 allows the light to be disbursed throughout the hat 100, causing much or all of the hat 100 to glow. Because the EL wire 110 is available in a variety of colors, the hat 100 will glow with whatever color EL wire is selected. Alternatively, or in addition, the translucent material of the hat 100 may be of any of a variety of colors, enhancing the glow of the hat 100 when the EL wires are in the lighted state and providing color to the hat 100 when the EL wires are in the unlighted state. Further, the controller 114 may provide a variety of programmed light sequences, selectable by the wearer of the hat, including, but not limited to, continuously on, flashing at one of several selectable fixed rates, and flashing at one of several selectable patterns. The controller 114 may also include a microphone and appropriate sound-activated circuitry to convert sounds, such as music, into control signals such that the EL wire 110 flashes in time to the sound.

Black light reactive material may also be embedded into the translucent material of the hat 100 to provide additional light effects in the dark. If desired, a logo or other writing or design may be applied to or embedded in the hat 100, such as at the front of the crown 104, to provide a glowing cattle brand effect when the EL wire is lit. The brand may be applied as paint or the like, or may be formed from EL wire 100. With an appropriate controller 114, EL wire 100 of different colors may be used and may be controlled separately. FIG. 5 illustrates a circuit having three different EL wires 110A, 110B, 110C, each coupled to different connectors of the controller 114, allowing for individual control of each of the EL wires 110A, 110B, 110C, selectable by the wearer of the hat.

As previously noted, it will be appreciated that, although the hat described and illustrated herein is a cowboy hat, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment but may also include any other style of hat, including, but not limited to, baseball hats.

The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 

We claim:
 1. A hat, comprising: a brim; a crown including a crease portion, wherein the crown includes a left crease portion adjacent to a left side of the crease portion and a right crease portion adjacent to a right side of the crease portion; electroluminescent (EL) wire embedded within a perimeter of the hat such that the EL wire forms an outline of the hat and that the EL wire disburses light throughout the hat, wherein a glow of the hat is enhanced when the EL wire is in a lighted state and the light is disbursed throughout the hat, and wherein translucent material of the hat provides color to the hat when the EL wire is in an unlighted state; and a controller configured to control current applied to the EL wire.
 2. The hat of claim 1, wherein the EL wire is embedded within a perimeter of the crease portion and embedded within a perimeter of a bottom portion of the crown that intersects with the brim.
 3. The hat of claim 1, where the EL wire is embedded within a perimeter of the brim and embedded within a perimeter of the left crease portion and a perimeter of the right crease portion.
 4. The hat of claim 1, wherein the EL wire is embedded within a portion of the bring that extends from a bottom portion of the crown that intersects with the brim to an edge of the brim.
 5. The hat of claim 1, further comprising a battery pack secured to the crown of the hat.
 6. The hat of claim 1, wherein the hat comprises a plurality of ventilation holes.
 7. The hat of claim 1, wherein the EL wire is electrically coupled to a battery pack and to the controller.
 8. The hat of claim 1, wherein the controller provides a plurality of programmed light sequences that are selectable by a wearer of the hat.
 9. The hat of claim 8, wherein the plurality of programmed light sequences comprise a continuously on light sequence, a plurality of fixed rate flashing sequences, a plurality of pattern-based flashing sequences, or a combination thereof.
 10. The hat of claim 1, further comprising a microphone and sound-activated circuitry to convert a sound into a control signal.
 11. The hat of claim 10, wherein the EL wire is configured to flash in accordance with the sound via the control signal.
 12. The hat of claim 1, wherein the hat includes black light reactive material embedded into the translucent material of the hat.
 13. The hat of claim 1, wherein a design is applied to the brim, the crown, or a combination thereof.
 14. The hat of claim 1, wherein the EL wire comprises a plurality of EL wires, and wherein the controller is configured to control each of the EL wires of the plurality of EL wires separately.
 15. A method of manufacturing a hat, comprising: forming a brim and a crown from translucent material, wherein the crown includes a crease portion, wherein the crown includes a left crease portion adjacent to a left side of the crease portion and a right crease portion adjacent to a right side of the crease portion; and embedding electroluminescent (EL) wire within a perimeter of the hat such that the EL wire forms an outline of the hat and that the EL wire disburses light throughout the hat, wherein a glow of the hat is enhanced when the EL wire is in a lighted state and the light is disbursed throughout the hat, and wherein the translucent material of the hat provides color to the hat when the EL wire is in an unlighted state.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a battery pack for the hat.
 17. The method of claim 15, further comprising a controller for the hat.
 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising electrically coupling the EL wire to a controller and to a battery pack.
 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising facilitating selection of a plurality of lighting programs via a controller.
 20. A hat, comprising: a crown including a crease portion, wherein the crown includes a left crease portion adjacent to a left side of the crease portion and a right crease portion adjacent to a right side of the crease portion; electroluminescent (EL) wire embedded within a perimeter of the hat such that the EL wire forms an outline of the hat and that the EL wire disburses light throughout the hat, wherein a glow of the hat is enhanced when the EL wire is in a lighted state and the light is disbursed throughout the hat, and wherein translucent material of the hat provides color to the hat when the EL wire is in an unlighted state; and a controller configured to control current applied to the EL wire. 